Online shopping offers fast, easy, money saving and interesting shopping experience. It has many advantages like 24 hours shopping, Shopping with a coupon to get a discount, shopping from Home, rich product availability and specifications etc.

Now it is that time of the year again when people across India are deeply into festival shopping with great Diwali Discounts & Offers. The flip side of such offers is that it also leads to online fraud and scams.

Here are few ways to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season:

• Do not click on pop-up ads, no matter how genuine they seem.
• Do not share personal information and confidential details over the phone, no matter what.
• If you think the offer is too good to be true, it is likely untrue. Shop smart and stay safe.
• Do not respond to unwanted promotional emails, even if the sender is familiar. There is a good chance that the person’s email address is hacked.
• Do not click on links for shopping or banking websites received in emails.
• Opt for cash on delivery if you are unsure of a website.
• Always prefer renowned shopping websites such as Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Snapdeal and more, instead of some new and shady websites.
• On social media sites like Facebook, prevent clicking on surveys that offer free gifts on completion.
• If you choose to make an online payment for the product you just purchased, make sure the payment gateway is well protected. The payment website URL must begin with “https” and feature a lock symbol.
• Always shop while you are connected to a secured Wi-Fi network or mobile data instead of open Wi-Fi.
  Before purchasing a product, always read for user reviews and ratings to ensure the quality of the product.
• Always compare product offers with another retailer to be sure of the offer’s authenticity.
• Several online scams are run under the name of charity. Be certain of where you make donations.
• Have a reliable internet security program on your PC and mobile that will block unwanted phishing and infected websites and spam malicious emails.

Follow these basic guidelines and you can shop online with confidence.